Indianapolis Outlasts Women's Basketball, 57-43
Links: Highlights | Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team hung with the visiting University of Indianapolis for most of Friday afternoon's contest, but the Greyhounds pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 57-43 victory from Hammel Court.
The Basics
Score: Indianapolis 57, Merrimack 43
Records: Merrimack (2-4) | Indianapolis (1-6)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
Senior forward Amanda Hoover (Columbus, Ohio) played some of her best basketball of the year in the opening quarter. Coming off the bench at the 6:21 mark, Hoover immediately made an impact by converting a three-point play, giving Merrimack its first points of the afternoon. Later on in the quarter, with Indy leading, Hoover absorbed some contact again to score the field goal and sunk the ensuing free throw. Hoover finished with six of Merrimack's 11 first-quarter points.
In the second frame, junior Savannah Johnson (Palmdale, Calif.) scored her first points, followed by a layup from Hoover, to tie the game at 15-all with 5:42 left in the first half. Senior point guard Tia Scott (New York, N.Y.) corralled an offensive rebound two minutes later, hit the put back and was fouled in the process. She made the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play to give Merrimack its first lead, 18-15.
With the Greyhounds holding the lead by one point, senior center Madison Ward (Binghamton, N.Y.) scored a layup in the half's final minute to give the Warriors a 22-21 halftime advantage. Hoover led the Navy and Gold with eight first-half points on 3-of-6 from the field.
Hoover and freshman guard Lindsay Werner (Groton, Mass.) stole the show in the third quarter. In a span of 2:24, the former scored six consecutive points to keep the Warriors within one point at 30-29. Werner, who played in a career high 13 minutes, connected on a three-pointer with less than three minutes to play to tie the game at 32-all and was fouled. She missed the next free throw, but hit a 16-footer with 13 seconds to play in the quarter to make it a 37-34 game.
Johnson scored Merrimack's first four points of the fourth to keep the deficit at four points, but Indy's leading scorer Princess German scored three unanswered to build the lead back to seven. The Greyhounds went on a 7-1 run to increase their lead to double digits for the first time, 52-41, with 1:47 remaining and put the game out of reach.
Inside The Numbers
- Hoover set career highs in points (17), field goals (7) and shots (16), playing in 21 minutes off the bench. It is the second time she has scored in double figures this season, as she finished with 11 points in Merrimack's season-opening win against UDC
- Werner gave the Navy and Gold solid minutes off the bench. Making only her third appearance of the year, Werner scored the first points of the career, while making her first-ever triple
- Johnson fell two points shy of her second double-double in the last three games. She finished with 10 boards, eight of which came on the defensive glass, the second time this season she has reached double-figure rebounds
- Scott also corralled double-digit boards from the point guard position, snatching 10 of them. She also played in all 40 minutes, the first time this season that the senior has gone the distance
- German led all scorers with 18 points, as she came into Friday's action averaging over 20 points per contest. Nicole Anderson totaled a double-double with 12 points and 12 caroms
Up Next
The Navy and Gold return home tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. when the Warriors host the St. Edwards to conclude their five-game homestand.
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